The Fat Acceptance Movement… Thoughts??

I think if smoking were still cheap, socially accepted, and as strongly advertised as our junk food is today, the number of smokers would never have decreased and would probably still be increasing. Likewise, if junk foods were heavily taxed, socially unacceptable, and if all of the junk food ads (and weight loss "diet" ads) disappeared from TV and magazines, obesity wouldn't be as much of a problem. I'm not necessarily calling for more taxes or legislation on food, I just find it to be an interesting comparison. In general I don't think the majority of people will change if they are not forced in some way to do so whether it be economically or socially or maybe even a health scare. However, I know a lot of people who have health problems or have family members with health problems relating to obesity and they are still not motivated to change.

That's interesting. I do think it's a little different since food is a necessity and it's a choice about type as opposed to whether or not to purchase it. Since fast food is cheaper, I think one of the major motivating factors is price. If they were to increase prices through taxes, I think it would definitely be interesting to see the effect it has (although I would personally be against any such tax).

Ok how about the opposite - tax incentives on healthy food, just as we have tax incentives on low poluting cars to help towards a healthier environment, why can't we have for example, no tax on fruit and veg? Burgers taxed but lean meat tax free? Fizzy drinks taxed but bottled water tax free?

Based on what I've read and heard from friends, the "fat acceptance movement" is not about "I'm overweight, and I'm okay with it!" in terms of health. It's "I'm considered overweight according to society's measures, but I still have feelings of confidence and self worth."

We live in a shaming society -- fat-shaming, skinny-shaming, black-shaming, white-shaming -- you name it, someone out there shames it. With the obesity crisis coming into the limelight (via laws concerning sodas and new programs in schools for overweight children), fat-shaming is becoming more prominent -- and more nasty and degrading.

The "fat acceptance movement" has been caused not only by the obesity "epidemic: (and the resulting shaming) but also by society's perception of beauty. Because of how we have been raised, we believe that fat people are "lazy, ugly, non-motivated", etc.

The fat acceptance movement was established to help people who consider themselves obese, overweight, etc., to accept themselves and love themselves. Would you love yourself if you felt like the entire world was calling you lazy and ugly? Would you feel good about yourself if your body was always cast in a negative light with nasty societal consequences?

This movement isn't about "acceptance of unhealthy ways"; it's about acceptance of oneself and love of oneself. It's about self esteem and self-confidence.

I don't want to accept my fat. I want it to go away.

Personally I think it is just an excuse. There is nothing comfortable or acceptable about being overweight. I would not go as far as to say that everyone should follow BMI calculators but I do feel that people should be at a healthy weight in close relation to the calculators. Its really just an excuse to be lazy and not worry about the health issues that come with bearing extra weight.

Most people here seem to be saying that no one should be judged on appearances, everyone loved for who they are, etc. Which is true, but that is not what the fat acceptance movement is about. It's about being FORCED to make accomodations for large peopl. Example: Airlines being required to have larger seats. It's kinda like ADA but for large people who are not "disabled".

So the question here should be: How do you feel about that?

It is extremely important (as is the Health at Every Size movement).

There are a couple of key reasons:

1. There is a lot of fat discrimination, it is the only kind that is acceptable. Most of it is dependent on our stereotypes of fat people. We have basically associated all of the "bad" traits to being fat. And we have also labeled it as something fixable, like being poor. It is very much tied into the American identity.

"Fat people are slothful, lazy and over indulgent. If they would just get some self control and pick themselves up by the bootstraps they will be thin and normal." (Doesn't this sound a lot like what we say about poor people, and black people and other non-Asian ethnic people. As if society has zero role in circumstance and opportunity.)

2. The generally accepted message is, if you are "fat" you can't be happy, confident, have nice hings or live your life until you are "normal and thin."

People with positive self images generally treat themselves better, (and are more likely to adopt healthy habits) and our society makes it very difficult to have a positive self-image if you aren't "normal." Unfortunately normalcy applies to size, stature, race, wealth, class and virtually every attribute. Why is "nude" the color beige? Does this mean if I am not "beige" then there is no nude tone that matches me, because I am "abnormal." Or there are "normal" stores with "regular" sizes. And if you don't fit into this "normal" size, you are banished to the deep dark basement where the "abnormal" plus sized clothing goes.

3. We have confused weight with health. There is a loose correlation with weight and health, but people can be healthy at many weights, and unhealthy at the same weight. The biggest problem is that we are so focused on losing weight and not GAINING health, people will resort to ridiculously unhealthy methods in order to see the right number on the scale. These habits are not maintainable and the weight comes back with interest. Causing even poorer health. Focusing on improving health, will help more than losing weight will. And improving health might have a side effect of weight loss. The more we tell people that weight - health, the more people will resort to fad diets, pointless supplements, and remain as unhealthy as they were before.

4. There is no one standard of a healthy weight. My healthy weight might be "fat" or "skinny" or "unhealthy" on someone else.

5. Loving yourself as you are now, doesn't mean that you have to stop improving. Do parents stop loving their kids when they do something bad? Should you stop loving and caring for yourself because you don't have a perfect body/perfect health right now? Of course not, so why are we trying to force this message that you are "less than" and not deserving of love or respect or sympathy because of your current appearance.